Vladimir Putin
President of Russia since 2000, former KGB officer
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on October 1, 1952, in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia. He served as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, including a posting in East Germany during the Cold War. After the Soviet Union's collapse, Putin entered politics in his native Saint Petersburg, eventually becoming deputy mayor and then mayor. He moved to Moscow in 1996, rapidly ascending through the FSB and federal government ranks before becoming President in 2000. Putin's presidency has been marked by economic recovery through oil revenues, reassertion of Russian power in former Soviet states, the Second Chechen War, and military interventions in Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria. He has consolidated political control through managing oligarchs, controlling media, and maintaining high approval ratings among Russian citizens. His tenure has also been characterized by international controversy, allegations of authoritarianism, election interference claims, and sanctions from Western nations. Putin remains a polarizing figure—viewed as a strong nationalist leader by supporters and an autocrat by critics.
Vladimir Guerrero
Hall of Fame baseball player, 9-time All-Star, 2004 AL MVP
Vladimir Sorokin
Experimental novelist, transgressive writer challenging Russian literary conventions
Vladimir Horowitz
Legendary pianist, virtuoso interpreter of Romantic music
Vladimir Nabokov
Author of 'Lolita', master of language and narrative innovation
Vladimir Lenin
Founder of Soviet Union, leader of Bolshevik Revolution
Political Leader
Russian
1952
Thinking about the name
Vladimir
Slavic origin
“Derived from Old Slavic 'vlad' (rule) and 'mir' (peace/world), Vladimir means 'ruler of the world' or 'famous ruler'—a name of considerable regal weight. Vladimir has been borne by saints, Russian emperors, and countless Eastern European nobility, making it one of the most historically significant Slavic names. It carries both gravitas and cultural pride.”